bmp120

1996 4L 2wd 190K miles; water pump replaced about 100k miles.

To start I thought my water pump was going out. That leakage down the front of the engine then trailing down the oil pan and loosing antifreeze - some telltale signs. But here is the catch - it stopped.

What I am wondering is do you think the leak is just not showing up because most of my coolant is water now and it is just burning off?

AND, would coolant continue to leak out of a water pump overnight?

Please give me your thoughts and troubleshooting trips. The car is my DD and I do not want to just be replacing parts ... like a water pump.

Here is the history:

- noticed a leak of some sort from front of engine going down oil pan. I did not put two and two together yet.

- coolant smell when driving

- filled coolant level with water just to get the level back up - some in the reservoir and about a half a gallon in the radiator itself. no antifreeze smell

- again leak down front of engine and across oil pan to puddling on the ground over night. Thought it was the hose clamp loose on the radiator hose, but it was tight. Refilled with water - about a half a gallon

- Drove 50 highway miles and waited to see if it puddled overnight - NOPE

freegdr

that hole in the water pump is there to tell you the seal in the water pump aruond the bearing is bad it wont go away put a pump on it before it gets any worse

1991Jeep_Man

Any whining noise?

bmp120

Ya, actually there is but it has been going on for about a year. Thought it was the AC going out. It started almost right after I charged the AC and put on a new harmonic balancer.

The whine is not loud but it is ever present.

Please jot me a note on why you inquire ... it might not help me but it might help someone else reading this thread 2 months from now who is trying to put two and two together.

djb383

U have a 15 year old vehicle, pushing 200K miles, it's your DD, u know it has a coolant leak and has had a whine for a year but u don't want to just be replacing parts. Humm. The only vehicles that don't require replacing parts are very late model, still covered under the factory bumper-to-bumper warranty with a loaner vehicle available when they break. All old DD vehicles require more TLC/maintenance (almost daily) or else u will be walking daily.

Adding WATER to a cooling system is for emergency only - to get u home or to a shop so leak repair can be done and the system re-filled with antifreeze/coolant. WATER causes corrosion/rust which forms very quickly in any engine. Antifreeze/coolant has corrosion/rust inhibitors along with water pump lubrication.

bmp120

I guess you did not see my questions. The leak stopped and I am wondering if I am pin pointing the right part to replace. Or if there is something else at play here. Coolant is part Anti-freeze and part water. See post
www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/antifreeze-mix-62054/

Diesel

He read it just fine. It was coming from the weep hole in the water pump, leaks will come and go a few times and get worse, its a sign of it going bad. Replace it before your driving without any coolant left. Its only a $50 part and takes about an hour-2 hours to replace.

And how is the 50/50 reference on topic here? The coolant and water wont separate in your system.

bmp120

Thanks for answering my questions - "leaks will come and go a few times and get worse, its a sign of it going bad."

"And how is the 50/50 reference on topic here? The coolant and water wont separate in your system."

It really is not on topic, but the poster was trying to be helpful in sharing what he knew about adding water to a cooling system. My posting the link to the mixture was that adding water to a cooling system is appropriate. Adding water to a cooling system is not for emergencies only.

Coolant is sold in a mixture and straight antifreeze. (I know you know that but I am pointing it out bc someone else looking at these posts might not know.) Someone unknowingly might not add water if they picked up the straight antifreeze, maybe intending to pick up the mixture. I know some in Alaska who have done this, as this link below points out, - a bad thing.

www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF6/680.html

I happen to run about 60% antifreeze /40% water in the winter depending on where I am or where I am going. If I got a leak in the summer adding water is not some dire issue based on what I have read. One just needs to be aware of where their mixture is.

Diesel

He was referring to straight water. Not 50/50

bmp120

Would you agree that one needs to keep the right mixture of antifreeze and water in the cooling system ?

Diesel

Correct mixture varies widely. Climate, operating temp, etc.

djb383

What's one supposed to think...u say nothing about about a 60/40 mix in your OP but u do say:

90K on water pump
water pump going out
leakage
loosing antifreeze
MOST OF MY COOLANT IS WATER NOW
filled coolant level with water
re-filled with water - about a half a gallon

The subject of your post is a ?, then (using the exact same words) it's a statement? Like Diesel said, spend the $50 and 2 hours on a new water pump and move on to the next maintenance item, I'm sure the list is getting longer every day.

bmp120

I agree.